U.S. patent application number 11/579579 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-11 for drill.
Invention is credited to Hans-Dieter Mack.
Application Number | 20070235952 11/579579 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36910851 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070235952 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mack; Hans-Dieter |
October 11, 2007 |
Drill
Abstract
The invention relates to a drill comprising a drivable drill
spindle (4) that is rotatably mounted in a housing (3) of a drill
(1), and a drill chuck (2) that is connected to the spindle end and
that has a chuck body (5) that is coaxially connected in a
rotationally fixed manner to the drill spindle (4) and has jaws (6)
that may be moved relative to the chuck body (5) by means of a
tightening sleeve (14) that is rotatable with respect to the chuck
body (5). Sensor means (15, 16, 17, 18, 32, 33) that influences the
drive control of the drill (1) as a function of the operating state
of the drill chuck (2) is associated with the housing (3).
Inventors: |
Mack; Hans-Dieter;
(Sontheim, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
K.F. ROSS P.C.
5683 RIVERDALE AVENUE
SUITE 203 BOX 900
BRONX
NY
10471-0900
US
|
Family ID: |
36910851 |
Appl. No.: |
11/579579 |
Filed: |
April 27, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
April 27, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE06/00748 |
371 Date: |
November 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
279/62 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 279/17632 20150115;
B23B 2231/38 20130101; Y10T 279/21 20150115; B23B 2231/06 20130101;
B23B 2231/14 20130101; B23B 31/1253 20130101; B23B 31/1238
20130101; B23B 31/123 20130101; Y10T 279/20 20150115; B23B 2260/128
20130101; B23B 2260/0445 20130101; Y10T 408/165 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
279/062 |
International
Class: |
B23B 31/12 20060101
B23B031/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 6, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 021 629.3 |
Claims
1. A drill comprising a drivable drill spindle that is rotatably
mounted in a housing of a drill, and a drill chuck that is
connected to the spindle end and that has a chuck body that is
coaxially connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drill
spindle and has jaws that may be moved relative to the chuck body
by means of a tightening sleeve that is rotatable with respect to
the chuck body, characterized in that sensor means that influences
the drive control of the drill as a function of the operating state
of the drill chuck is associated with the housing.
2. The drill according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor
is associated with the adjustment range of the jaws for detection
of the axially rear end position of the jaws.
3. The drill according to claim 1, characterized in that between
the housing and the tightening sleeve a coupling device is provided
that includes a coupling sleeve that is held on the housing so as
to prevent rotation with the drill chuck and that may be moved
relative to the drill chuck, and the coupling device in the
coupling position thereof connects the tightening sleeve to the
spindle housing angularly in a friction-fit manner and may be moved
by a decoupling spring into the decoupling position when the torque
transmitted between the tightening sleeve and the coupling sleeve
in the coupling position exceeds a predetermined value, and the
coupling sleeve is formed by a stationary rear sleeve associated
with the housing and a front sleeve that surrounds the tightening
sleeve and that is axially movable with respect to the stationary
rear sleeve between the decoupling and the coupling positions, and
the sensor for detecting the position of the front sleeve and that
is associated with machine control of the drill is situated in the
region of the axial adjustment range of the front sleeve.
4. The drill according to claim 3, characterized in that the sensor
is provided in multiples for detecting various positions of the
front sleeve and for influencing the drive control as a function
thereof.
5. The drill according to one of claim 1, characterized in that the
sensor is a contactless sensor.
6. The drill according to claim 3, characterized in that the sensor
is placed in a sensor ring situated on the stationary rear
sleeve.
7. The drill according to one of claim 3, characterized in that a
latch sleeve that overlaps the front sleeve on the end opposite the
stationary rear sleeve is associated with the housing, and a number
of latching seats are provided in the latch sleeve that correspond
to respective operating positions of the front sleeve.
8. The drill according to claim 7, characterized in that one of the
sensors is provided for each of the latching seats.
9. The drill according to claim 7, characterized in that a spring
is provided between the front sleeve and the latch sleeve that
specifies the rest position of the front sleeve.
10. The drill according to claim 3, characterized in that a
clamping-torque limit sensor that specifies the maximum clamping
torque is associated with the stationary rear sleeve.
11. The drill according to claim 10, characterized in that the
clamping-torque limit sensor has a pin that is mounted on the
housing and that is engaged by a limit sensor spring and that
engages with a pin seat having flattened edges.
12. The drill according to claim 3, characterized in that radial
chip-removal openings are provided in the front sleeve.
13. The drill according to one of claim 3, characterized in that
the sensor for detecting the position of the front sleeve, within
the range of travel of the front sleeve angularly, is provided for
influencing the rotational direction of the drill via machine
control.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a drill comprising a drivable drill
spindle that is rotatably mounted in a housing of a power unit, and
a drill chuck that is connected to the spindle end and that has a
chuck body that is coaxially connected and rotationally fixed to
the drill spindle and that has jaws that may be moved relative to
the chuck body by means of a tightening sleeve that is rotatable
with respect to the chuck body.
[0002] In such drills, which are widely used in practice, the drill
chuck is mounted on the spindle end of the power unit so as to be
replaceable, the interfit of the two parts forming the drill being
essentially provided by the complementary coupling of the drill
spindle with the chuck body in which a threaded seat is generally
provided, into which the drill spindle that is designed as a
threaded spindle may be screwed.
[0003] The object of the invention is to provide a drill of the
above-described type such that the two parts that form the drill,
namely, the power unit and the drill chuck, are largely
integrated.
[0004] In a drill of the above-described type this object is
achieved according to the invention in that sensor means that
influences the drive control of the drill as a function of the
operating state of the drill chuck is associated with the
housing.
[0005] This drill is characterized in that the operating state of
the drill chuck may be monitored more closely by use of the sensor,
and the machine power may thus be modified without active
participation by the user of the drill, which is particularly
advantageous with regard to safety aspects, since in the worst case
scenario, modifying machine power involves complete shut down.
[0006] In this regard it is practical for the sensor to be
associated with the adjustment range of the jaws for detection of
the axially rear end position of the jaws. When the drill chuck is
opened, in this embodiment when the jaws, which are held in guide
passagees running at an angle with respect to the chuck axis, are
moved to their axially rear end position, the sensor may be used to
reliably prevent the jaws from jamming, which may sometimes occur
in practice when the jaws are operated at full machine power. As
the jaws approach one another, the sensor allows the machine power
to be reduced up to the point of a complete stoppage of the drill,
thereby reliably preventing the jaws from jamming.
[0007] A further preferred embodiment of the invention is
characterized in that between the housing and the tightening sleeve
a coupling device is provided that includes a coupling sleeve that
is held on the housing so as to prevent rotation with the drill
chuck and that may be moved relative to the drill chuck, and the
coupling device in the coupling position thereof angularly locks
the tightening sleeve to the housing in a friction-fit manner and
may be moved by a decoupling spring into a decoupling position when
the torque transmitted between the tightening sleeve and the
coupling sleeve in the coupling position exceeds a predetermined
value, and the coupling sleeve is formed by a stationary rear
sleeve associated with the housing and a front sleeve that
surrounds the tightening sleeve and that is axially movable with
respect to the stationary rear sleeve between the decoupling and
the coupling positions, and the sensor for detecting the position
of the front sleeve and that is associated with controller of the
drill is situated in the region of the axial adjustment range of
the front sleeve. This embodiment is characterized in that for
opening and closing the drill chuck a drill controller may be
actuated solely by moving a component, namely, the front sleeve,
associated with the drill chuck, so that, in addition to inserting
the drill bit between the jaws of the drill chuck, it is not
necessary for the user to also take an active part in actuating
controller for the drill.
[0008] Particular advantages are obtained by providing multiple
sensors for detecting various positions of the front sleeve and for
influencing drive control as a function thereof, since by use of a
number of these sensors all operating states associated with the
opening and closing of the drill chuck and the continuous operation
thereof may be achieved by moving the front sleeve.
[0009] It is also advantageous when the sensor is a contactless
sensor, since in this case the sensor ensures the necessary
operational reliability even when contaminants and vibrations are
present during operation of the drill. In principle, contactless
sensors are known from the prior art, such as inductive sensors,
for example, that may also be used in the drill according to the
invention.
[0010] A compact design is obtained when the sensor is placed in a
sensor ring situated on the stationary rear sleeve.
[0011] To avoid the need for the user of the drill to constantly
maintain the position of the front sleeve when a given operating
state is to be achieved by means of the front sleeve, the invention
provides that a latch sleeve that overlaps the front sleeve on the
end opposite the stationary rear sleeve is associated with the
housing, and a number of latching seats are provided in the latch
sleeve that correspond to respective operating positions of the
front sleeve, i.e. with the configuration of the sensors provided
for the operating positions.
[0012] One of the sensors may be provided for each of the latching
seats, so that the number of latching seats is equal to the number
of sensors. The reliability of the drill according to the invention
is increased by providing a spring between the front sleeve and the
latch sleeve that specifies the rest position of the front sleeve.
When a limiting force is exceeded, this spring forces the front
sleeve back to the rest position, which advantageously is
associated with the continuous operation of the drill, thereby
preventing the drill bit from being unintentionally loosened during
drilling operations.
[0013] The invention also provides that a clamping-torque limit
sensor that determines the maximum clamping torque is associated
with the stationary rear sleeve and forms a part of the coupling
device.
[0014] The clamping-torque limit sensor has a pin that is mounted
on the housing, that is engaged by a limit sensor spring, and that
engages with a pin seat having flattened edges.
[0015] It is also advantageous for radial chip-removal openings to
be provided in the front sleeve. These chip-removal openings ensure
that drilling chips that enters the drill chuck during drilling
operations can exit the drill chuck when the latter is surrounded
by the front sleeve. The radial orientation of the chip-removal
openings makes use of the fact that the drilling chips are
transported outward from the rotating chuck by centrifugal force
and may be spun off.
[0016] It is also advantageous when the sensor for detecting the
position of the front sleeve, within the angular range of travel of
the front sleeve, is provided for influencing the rotational
direction of the drill via a drill controller. Thus, solely with
the position of the front sleeve the user may control whether the
drill chuck is driven for opening or closing via the drill
controller.
[0017] The invention is explained in greater detail below, with
reference to illustrated embodiments shown in the drawing that
shows the following:
[0018] FIG. 1 shows the front portion of a drill according to the
invention in a side view, illustrated in a partial section on the
left side, in a position of the front sleeve set for manual
tightening;
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a view of an alternative embodiment
corresponding to FIG. 1, in a position of the front sleeve provided
for power tightening;
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2, in the position
of the front sleeve provided for a drilling and screwing
operation;
[0021] FIG. 4 shows a view of an alternative embodiment
corresponding to FIG. 1; and
[0022] FIG. 5 shows a view of the embodiment of FIG. 4,
corresponding to FIG. 2.
[0023] The drawing illustrates a drill comprising a combination of
a power unit 1 and a drill chuck 2. The drawing shows only the
front part of the power unit 1 necessary for explaining the
invention; in addition, only the components of the drill chuck 2
necessary for explaining the invention are emphasized.
[0024] The drill comprises a drill spindle 4 mounted in a housing 3
of the power unit 1, at the spindle end of which the drill chuck 2
is connected that has a chuck body 5 that is coaxially connected in
a rotationally fixed manner to the drill spindle 4 and that has
jaws 6 that in the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are
positioned in guide passagees 8 extending at an angle to a chuck
axis 7 and on their radially outward sides each have a row of teeth
9 that engage with a clamping thread 10 of a threaded ring 11 that
is axially braced at its rear face on the chuck body 5 by means of
a ball bearing 12 and a snap ring 13. The jaws 6 are adjusted by
rotation relative to the chuck body 5 of a tightening sleeve 14
coupled to the threaded ring 11, thus allowing the drill chuck 2 to
be opened and closed by rotating the tightening sleeve 14 in the
corresponding rotational direction.
[0025] Sensor means 15, 16, 17, 18, 32, 33 that influences the
drive control of the power unit 1 as a function of the operating
state of the drill chuck 2 is associated with the housing 3,
namely, in FIG. 1, a sensor 15 associated with the adjustment range
of the jaws 6 for detecting the axial rear end position thereof.
When the drill chuck 2 is opened by mechanical force and the jaws
are moved to their axially rear end position, the sensor 15
essentially prevents operation at full drill power, since the
sensor 15 detects the approach of the jaws 6 and actuates a drill
controller in order to reduce the machine power and, if needed,
completely stop the drill 2 [sic; 1].
[0026] For the drill chuck 2 illustrated in FIG. 1, it is also seen
that there is between the housing 3 and the tightening sleeve 14 a
coupling device that includes a coupling sleeve 19 that is held on
the housing 3 so as to prevent rotation with the drill chuck 2 and
that may be moved relative to the drill chuck 2, and the coupling
device in the coupling position thereof connects the tightening
sleeve 14 to the housing 3 angularly in a friction-fit manner and
may be moved into a decoupling position by a decoupling spring 20
when the torque transmitted between the tightening sleeve 14 and
the coupling sleeve 19 in the coupling position exceeds a
predetermined value, and the coupling sleeve 19 is formed by a
stationary rear sleeve 21 associated with the housing 3 and a front
sleeve 22 that surrounds the tightening sleeve 14 and that is
axially movable with respect to the stationary rear sleeve 21
between the decoupling and the coupling positions. The sensor 16,
17, 18 for detecting the position of the front sleeve 22 and that
is associated with the controller of the drill is situated in the
region of the axial adjustment range of the front sleeve 22, in the
illustrated embodiment illustrated in the drawing, multiple sensors
16, 17, 18 being provided for detecting various positions of the
front sleeve 22 and for influencing the drive control as a function
thereof.
[0027] FIG. 1 shows one position of the front sleeve 22 in which,
as the result of the engagement of the coupling pin 23 with the pin
seat 24 in the tightening sleeve 14, conventional manual actuation
of the drill chuck 2 is possible for opening and clamping. In this
embodiment, the front sleeve 22 is gripped and twisted, resulting
in rotation of the tightening sleeve 14 and the threaded ring 11
that is connected thereto in a rotationally fixed manner. The
sensor 16 detects the axial position of the front sleeve 22 and
ensures that the drill controller does not drive the drill spindle
4, but, rather, guarantees that the spindle is stopped, thus
allowing the tightening sleeve 14 to rotate with respect to the
chuck body 5 without manual braking of the chuck body 5. In
addition, in this embodiment a sensor 32 is present that within the
range of travel of the front sleeve detects the position thereof
angularly so that the user may check the rotational direction of
the power unit 1 when, as described below with reference to FIG. 2,
mechanical opening and closing is to take place. In principle, a
simple design of the sensor 32 is sufficient for this purpose,
since it is only necessary to switch on deviation from the normal
state, i.e. in either a right-handed or left-handed rotation.
However, the sensor 32, 33 may also be provided in two parts, with
placement angularly at a distance from one another, to allow the
user to select the rotational direction in a targeted manner.
[0028] This is shown in FIG. 2 in an axial position of the front
sleeve 22 that is used to mechanically open and close the drill
chuck 2, since in this position torque is applied to the drill
spindle 4 by the drill controller at a low rotational speed,
thereby forcing the relative rotation of the tightening sleeve 14
with respect to the chuck body 5, since the tightening sleeve 14 is
connected via the coupling pin 23 to the front sleeve 22, that in
turn is connected via the coupling device to the housing 3. Only
when the desired clamping force is reached or exceeded does the
clamping-torque limit sensor 25 associated with the stationary rear
sleeve 21 respond as a part of the coupling device, and the pin 26
associated with the clamping-torque limit sensor 25 is pushed out
from the pin seat 27 having flattened edges, against the force of
the limit sensor spring. The position of the front sleeve 22
angularly specifies the rotational direction by means of the
sensors 32, 33.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the position of
the front sleeve associated with the normal drilling or screwing
operation in which by use of the sensor 18 the sole control of the
drill controller is transferred to the regulator for the drill 2
[sic; 1].
[0030] FIG. 4 shows that the invention may also be implemented for
another type of drill chuck, namely, a self-tightening drill chuck
having flat jaws 28 that, however, is operated similarly as for the
cylindrical jaw drill chuck shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, namely, by
twisting the tightening sleeve 14 relative to the chuck body 5 so
that in a similar manner the axial position of the clamping cone
may be detected by use of the sensor 29.
* * * * *